Annual olympic meeting begins in Turkey

The two-day meeting at Istanbul's Hilton Exhibition Center brings together delegations from National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Europe, numerous sports federations, and a great number of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

EOC President Patrick Hickey and Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi as well as IOC President Jacques Rogge are among participants at the event that gives candidate cities for the 2016 Olympic Games a last opportunity to meet the European delegates.

In the opening remarks of the meeting, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said, "Istanbul is readying to become a candidate for the 2020 Olympic Games. We will mobilize all our capabilities to host the games."

"I had the chance of visiting Armenia for the first time and a sports event gave me this opportunity. It was the best example of sports creating new grounds of dialogue among nations. The games is one of the oldest and most important driving forces of friendly and peaceful relations among countries and their nations," he said.

Turkish State Minister Murat Basesgioglu said that he was proud of hosting the meeting on the 100th anniversary of founding of the TMOK.

Turkey is willing to host the 2020 Olympic Games in Istanbul, he added. During the meeting, the candidate cities for the 2016 Olympic Games (Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janerio and Madrid) will make presentations to EOC officials to lay out their plans to host the Games.

Also, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 presentations will also be made.

The Istanbul University will decorate the IOC president with an honorary doctorate degree during his visit.

The Rome-based EOC brings together 49 National Olympic Committees under its roof.